Great advice Russell! I had forgot to mention the benefits of decompression therapy - might be something to ask your spine doctor about.

Thanks everyone...

I want to see the physios next week anyway and ask what they can do for me, I'll ask about decompression tables etc. I'm not doing any exercises or stretches unless I've double and triple checked that they can't do me more damage....I've been bitten before by well-intentioned physios...

I'm taking a multivitamin at the moment to up my levels of things like vitamin D, magnesium etc, and I'm drinking a lot of fluids - I'm well aware of the hydration issue with discs lol, all this time I'm waiting I've been reading up on discs and health! I'm keeping as healthy a diet as I can, and apart from the odd crappy day like today I'm overall increasing my activity levels of walking. I'm doing a few careful core exercises like bridges and side leg lifts, clams, pelvic floor exercises, glute squeezes, etc. Looking to increase the amounts gradually...

The paracetemol thing is going ok so far, surprisingly enough. I prefer to know what's going on with my back, and it certainly let's me know if I get it wrong!

Tessa, I've had DDD for at least five years in both my lumbar and cervical spine.

The rest of the report says:

Lower spinal cord appears normal, conus at L1. Upper 4 lumbar motion segments normal. Facet joints look normal, central canal capacious, no sign of central stenosis. No vertebral collapse or marrow infiltrate. Normal retroperitoneal structures. Conclusion: single level degenerative spondylosis at L5-S1 with a left paracentral disc protrusion displacing the swollen left S1 nerve root.

Bram.

Sounds like you are doing a lot just be careful to listen to your body and pull back or eliminate things that aggravate your pain.

lol.. I figured you had DDD for sometime as the changes don't occur overnight What I meant by acute inflammation causing the modic type 2 changes -was that whatever happened that caused this huge increase in pain also created an inflammatory response a normal reaction when our body is injured or sick. You already know this but the left paracentral disc protrusion means that the disc is herniated (and leaking the painful nucleous fluid) protruding to the left side and impeding the normal position of the nerve.

My best guess is that they will try a round of medicated steroid injections along with PT before any other types of treatment.

Is there a pool that you could walk in anywhere near you? That would be so much better than trying to walk on land for now.

Wishing you well
Tessa

Thanks Tessa. I don't have a pool I can walk in nearby with any comfort - its a cold pool and created all sorts of CRPS issues last time I tried it, no chance with the bad back as well... So yet again it's my immune response at work with the modic changes.....do you know if they can heal and repair, or if it's a permanent change? It's hard to tell from the sites I've seen.

Bram.

Bummer about the pool! Perhaps the physio will have an aquatic therapy pool that you could use - crossing fingers.

As far as I understand about the modic changes with DDD is that those changes can occur and actually go back and forth between type 1 and 2 depending on the stage of the inflammatory response. From my understanding and based on what you shared it seems that it is a 'focal' change meaning it is only seen at the level where the disc is protruding. If it was a 'diffuse' finding then those changes would signify something else as the cause and further evaluation. I would guess that the modic change isn't what your doctor will be concerned about as the nerve displacement and clear aggravation is the reason for your pain.

Just in case you are thinking your immune system is behaving poorly in this - it isn't. It is doing exactly what it should be doing by sending the inflammation and triggering pain to warn you that something is wrong. Just like an alarm system.

What day do you see your spine doctor?

I sent you a message quite some time back - I have similar issues. I think my MRI showed worse damage than yours.

Pain meds do not help me, so I do not take them.

I got pneumonia after getting the flu in January and they put me on a burst of steroids, which helped.

I have been doing the very beginning of Tai Chi and Qi Gong and so far, it's going ok…. but, with the RSD, I am going really slowly. After a month, I am still working on the "warm up" exercises.

I still have my legs going numb, tingly, burning painful when I stand for more than a few minutes. I can't sit very well.

I try to walk some for exercise, but it is difficult.

They want me to go to a chiropractor, physical therapy, acupuncture etc…. but I just cannot afford it on SSDI. The two DVDs for Tai Chi and Qi Gong were $20 so I could afford that.

I need to much $$$ spent on eye surgery and dental work right now - can't go to the other things, so am doing the best I can.

I was not able to use a TENS for my RSD, but found it works for the lower back/scoliosis etc. So I got some more of the pads for it and have been using it. Seems to help break up the pain signals.

Hi daylily I can't find a message from you sorry - the system must have eaten it...but thank you anyway, I appreciate it all the same!

There are quite a few YouTube vids of the Qi Gong and that kind of thing, mindfulness meditation exercises, etc. I haven't paid for anything so far, lol, bit of a cheapskate, me

I'm not doing that much yet, I'm only doing a few reps of anything if I feel up to it, which isn't often. No way I'm risking anything at the moment. Just want to get a definitive view of a specialist so I know what to do for the best and what my chances are of getting ay without surgery.... Hate the waiting around.

I'm sorry you've got such horrible spinal issues, back crap really sucks, you don't realise how much it affects things until it goes wrong.... Hope you're having an ok day today. What happened to your back? Hope it's something that can resolve with time or be treated.

Take care, and thanks for posting

Bram.